The enthusiasm for oil and gas development in the Persian Gulf continues to rise, and Saudi Aramco is accelerating its offshore oil and gas production capacity layout. A batch of heavyweight EPCI projects have entered the evaluation stage, and many shortlisted long-term agreement contractors have submitted bids. Who will spend billions of dollars on orders has attracted industry attention. This bidding covers multiple major offshore oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia, which is a key move for the country to strengthen its upstream energy strength and bring broad market opportunities for global offshore enterprises.

Project bidding landing

This five EPCI tenders are open to six major offshore oil and gas fields, namely Abu Safa, Berry, Manifi, Mazan, Safania, and Zuluf. Saudi Aramco issued the bidding documents in December 2025, originally scheduled for the bidding deadline of February 3, 2026. However, due to the impact of project volume, there were multiple delays, and the contractor completed the submission of all bids on August 1, 2026. The five sections involve the construction of pipeline racks and multiple production deck modules. After completion, the project will improve offshore production facilities and solidify the foundation for releasing oil and gas production capacity. In July 2026, Saudi Aramco has awarded five CRPO contracts with a total value exceeding 3 billion US dollars. Previously, four contracts for the expansion of the Zuluf oil field were estimated to be close to 6 billion US dollars, and CNOOC Engineering Co., Ltd. also won the CRPO161 contract in April 2026. Keywords: Saudi Aramco, Offshore Oil and Gas EPCI

Changes in market landscape

Saudi Aramco relies on a long-term agreement contractor pool to advance offshore projects, and this cooperation mechanism can compress project cycles and reduce procurement costs. Against the backdrop of steady growth in global energy demand, Saudi Arabia continues to increase its investment in offshore oil and gas, continuously unleashing engineering opportunities and further consolidating its key position in the global oil and gas supply chain. Global engineering companies continue to expand their presence in the Middle East, and as subsequent projects continue to be released, competition in the regional offshore engineering market will further intensify.Editor/Min Jing